The 50-lap STSS Modified event – postponed by 24 hours due to rain on the original Tuesday date – was an instant classic on the ‘Great Race Place’ four-tenths-mile track.

Guilderland, N.Y.’s Johnson emerged from an intense three-car battle in the final 10 circuits of the event to take home a $6,000 top prize: $5,000 from the posted purse plus an additional $1,000 courtesy of last-minute sponsor Amsterdam Trailer Repair.

“What a race!” Johnson said after receiving an ovation from the crowd at his home track. “I could see the top was going away and the bottom was getting better. I committed to the inside and knew I had to hit my marks.”

Johnson became the fourth consecutive first-time STSS winner in the series’ Halmar International North Region this season.

Veteran Frank Cozze made the long haul from Wind Gap, Pa., to compete in the ‘Stampede’ event and started from the pole via a redraw of top heat-race qualifiers.

A past ‘CVRA vs. the World’ winner at Albany-Saratoga, Cozze took the David Renaldo-owned No. 401 small-block to the lead at the outset and thwarted a slew of challenges. As the race progressed, track regular Ronnie Johnson fought his way to second after rolling off the grid eighth.

Johnson relentlessly pressured Cozze, working both high and low.

It was Cozze, however, who remained in front to collect the Superior Remodeling $200 Halfway Leader bonus.

Marc Johnson, after rolling off the grid in ninth, was quietly working forward utilizing the inside lane as the track continued to slick off. He was fifth at lap 26 and moved to third on the 30th circuit.

With 10 laps to go, Cozze, the Johnsons, 27th-starter Matt Sheppard and Anthony Perrego formed up a five-car tussle for the top spot.

At lap 44, the race for the lead fanned out three-wide. Ronnie Johnson went to the top, while Marc Johnson went to the bottom, both sweeping by Cozze to take the top-two positions.

The move didn’t stick and Marc Johnson surged off the bottom to take the lead and the victory.

Duanesburg, N.Y.’s Ronnie Johnson narrowly edged Sheppard at the line for a runner-up finish worth $3,000.

Sheppard, aboard the Sweeteners Plus No. 92s, ended his stirring drive from 27th to complete the podium and receiving the Hard Charger Award worth $200 cash from Land Hoe Maintenance and product certificates from Beyea Custom Headers and QA1. Sheppard had won the evening’s first heat race but was light on the scales and disqualified. He earned his feature starting position through the B-Main.

Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were Mat Williamson of St. Catharine’s, Ont., after running as high as third in the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse No. 3; Mike Mahaney of King Ferry, N.Y., aboard the Olum’s No. 33 after battling inside the top-10 for the entire distance; series point leader Billy Decker of Sidney, N.Y., aboard the Jeremy Smith Racing No. 91 from 19th; Kenny Tremont Jr. of West Sand Lake, N.Y.; and Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa., who started 25th in his Albany-Saratoga debut.

Despite the postponement, a robust field of 47 STSS Modifieds signed into the pit area.

A fully paid B-Main was presented by New Country Toyota of Clifton Park, Elmo’s Speed & Supply, Garrity Asphalt and DIG Race Products. Matt Sheppard won and chose to start the main event.

The accompanying Albany-Saratoga Sportsman main event was won Tim Hartman Jr. in a down-to-the-wire finish over Robert Bublak Jr.

MALTA MEMORIES: What appeared to be a beautiful evening turned when rain began tracking toward the speedway at the scheduled starting time. Albany-Saratoga and STSS officials pressed through the program rapidly, with the Modified checkered flag falling at 8:50 p.m. Only the Sportsman main was to follow….

A very strong southeastern PA-NJ contingent was in attendance including Ryan Godown, Jimmy Horton, Matt Stangle, Brandon Grosso, Mike Gular, Duane Howard, Frank Cozze and Rick Laubach. Particularly impressive was Gular after breaking in the heat race and driving from the 13th row in the feature to finish 10th….

Tough night for series regular J.R. Hurlburt. His Jamie and Denise Page team broke down en route to the track, lost a driveshaft in qualifying and broke down with their back-up tow vehicle while driving home….

Next up for the Short Track Super Series is the ‘Blast at the Beach’ presented by VAHLCO Wheels on Tuesday, Aug. 28 (rain date: Aug. 29) at Del.’s Georgetown Speedway. This event will be recorded for broadcast on MAV-TV. STSS Velocita-USA South Region Modifieds race 35 laps for $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to take the green flag. Also on the card: STSS Crate 602 Sportsman ($1,000 to win), Delaware Super Trucks and Delmarva Chargers.

Earlier this season at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Brett Hearn’s ‘Big Show’ drew a strong field of 55 Modifieds to the ‘Great Race Place’ to compete in the 100-lap event under the Super DIRTcar Series banner.

Now, on Tuesday, August 14, the Brett Deyo-promoted Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco makes its stop at Albany-Saratoga when Recovery Sports Grill presents the ‘Stampede at ‘toga’ 50-lap spectacular.

So the question is, which event will bring more Modifieds into the Albany-Saratoga pit area – and the “Brett’s Bigger Show” Challenge was born.

The scheduled payout for the STSS ‘Stampede at ‘toga’ event is $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to take the green flag – a total pay structure of $25,170 from first to last.

With the sponsorship help of American Racer Tires, the stakes have risen for racers if the car count exceeds the 55 mark.

Should 56 or more STSS Modifieds sign into the pit area, an additional $5,000 will be added to the purse, with $7,500 going to the winner and $500 to take the green, bringing the total pay structure to $30,170!

A reminder this event is open to ALL Modifieds – big- or small-block, American Racer or Hoosier tires. If you’ve got a Modified with a steel-block, you are welcome at this event.

Heats will be lined up by a draw for starting positions to take place at the pre-race drivers’ meeting, with a redraw of top qualifiers for the main.

Malta, NY (April 19, 2018) – Albany-Saratoga Speedway’s opening night has fallen victim to the cold, snow and rain that has plagued the area in recent days. The opening night of racing will now be Tuesday, April 24 with grandstand gates opening at 5 p.m. and the pit area opening at 3 p.m.

“I hate having to make this call but with a forecast of daytime temperatures in the low 40’s and nighttime in the low 30’s it is the right thing to do for our fans and our teams,” stated promoter Lyle DeVore. He continued, “The Tuesday forecast is a vast improvement over Friday and I promise everyone we will be ready to go when the gates open and will move the program along quickly.”

The Modified feature for opening night, sponsored by Bart Contracting and Schaghticoke Wine & Spirits, will pay $7,500 for 44 laps and several of the top names in dirt racing had announced their plans to invade “The Great Race Place” including Billy Decker, Tim Fuller, Stewart Friesen, Max McLaughlin and Jimmy Phelps.

With the move to Tuesday it has been confirmed the invaders will be joined by Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard. Several other top names have been in contact with management indicating they also hope to attend because they no longer have a conflicting event.

Due to the change in date the speedway has made the decision to run a reduced program and it will consist of only the Modified, Sportsman, Limited Sportsman and Pro Stock classes. All other classes will return to the speedway on Friday, April 27.

The question remains — can they beat the best regular weekly runners such as 2017 champion Peter Britten, six-time track champion Brett Hearn, Ronnie Johnson, Matt DeLorenzo, Marc Johnson, Keith Flach, Jeremy Wilder, Demetrious Drellos and Stewart Friesen? All were feature winners in 2017 and are eager to be the first to win in 2018.